The Venvax Incident
by macko123456
Summary: The galaxy is at peace. In the millennia since the Emperor defeated the Chaos Gods and united a million worlds under the banner of mankind, much has been achieved. But now the Imperium's relations with its alien allies will be tested like never before as a new threat emerges. For in the bright and hopeful future of the 41st Millennium, there is no war . . . not yet, anyway.
1. S1 E1: Victorus Aut Mortis

Series I - So It Begins

Episode I – Victorus Aut Mortis

"Two suns shone in Venvax's bright red sky, illuminating the tapering skyscrapers of the planet's capital. The huge, spindly towers of Concordance rose from sandy dunes. Their bases were hidden among the constant storms of dust that ravaged Venvax's surface. Soaring walkways stretched between them and blue lights glimmered on their flanks. Small spacecraft flitted past, carrying goods to local markets and ferrying civilians around the city. Life here was lived entirely in the sky. Whole parks and plazas were held aloft on gigantic floating platforms more than a kilometre from end to end. There were monuments, grassy fields and lakes, all kept safely away from the invisible layer of searing heat at ground level. It had no official name, but the city's residents knew it as the Mirage: the world where the boundaries between the real and the imagined began to unravel. Those who ventured down there rarely returned. Even the lucky few had their minds ripped apart by its madness. The heat could turn anyone crazy. It was a simple fact of life that came with the territory. Living in Concordance meant knowing the Mirage was below. Normally the residents had little trouble pushing the thought to the back of their minds. But recently they had been given reason to fear it."

There was a pause.

"Why?" asked Caldus.

Iudex rolled her biological eye. Her augmetic implant did not move. It was hard at work projecting images into the air between them.

"That, my poor, mindless assistant," she said, sourly, "Is what we are here to find out."

They jostled in their seats as the shuttle swept down through Venvax's skies, skirting between thin wisps of white cloud. It was cool and air-conditioned inside the compartment. Outside, the air was so hot that they could have cooked food on the shuttle's hull. After a few moments the landing lights came on inside and they strapped themselves in. The shuttle came down with a hiss as hydraulic supports shot home into their cases.

"Well," Iudex said, as she climbed to her feet. "Here we are."

An alien was waiting for them at the base of the ramp. He was a Tau, right down to his cloven hooves and a cleft down the centre of his face. Males and females of the species were generally hard to differentiate but the Remembrancers had learned to tell them apart.

" _Tau'fann_ ," Iudex bowed. "It is our honour."

"The honour is mine, _Gue'la_ ," he responded. " _Se'hen che lel_. I am Sha'el, of the Water Caste, ordered here to better facilitate your arrival. My people offer you their sincere greetings in this time of difficult relations."

"Perhaps those greetings matter more now than ever," Iudex remarked.

Caldus said nothing. He was busy taking picts. His implanted retinae whirred quietly as he captured image after image of their surroundings.

"Please," Sha'el beckoned, "Follow me."

He led them down the metal stairs from the landing pad and across the plaza beyond. Humans and Tau both were gathered around the burbling fountain at its centre. Ahead of them was a towering edifice of stone that stood out from the towering skyscrapers around them. It was distinctly Imperial in construction, complete with tall, arched windows and mosaics depicting the Emperor and the eighteen Primarchs. Situated at the heart of the Tau city, the embassy made a bold statement about their mission.

"Come along, Caldus," Iudex irritably snapped.

"My apologies, my lady," he replied. "The newsreels will appreciate these picts immensely."

"We are not here to capture Concordance," she reminded him. "There are enough renditions of this place to fill a million memory implants."

"But they were not taken _today_ , were they?" Caldus wryly observed.

Iudex said nothing. She let him get back to his work.

Sha'el was looking them both up and down, pretending to smooth his robes of office so he wouldn't be too conspicuous. Where Caldus was thin and spindly, fused with a hardwired exoskeleton to steady his movements for a less shaky capture, Iudex was muscular and tall. Her skin was as brown as the leather of her stocky boots and she wore her hair in long dreadlocks. Each of them wore the necklace of the Remembrancer Order, an Imperial Aquila with both eyes open to symbolise awareness of both past and future. He had met journalists and reporters before but these two were different. They seemed to be doing more than just their job. He had a suspicion as to why.

"This is your first time offworld," he observed, confidently.

Iudex beckoned for Caldus to go on with his work and turned to Sha'el.

"It is," she said. "I see the descriptions of your kind we hear on Deliverance are not exaggerated. You truly do have a keen mind."

"Not of all of us are as clever as I am," he quipped.

She chuckled.

"A joke from a Tau," she said. "I must make a note of that."

In a second their conversation had been marked as important and filed in her implanted memory banks for later use. She would review it that evening, as with everything they said to each other. Every single word was important.

Sha'el stepped past her and pointed.

She looked. In the distance, between the glimmering lines of spacecraft that wound through the city, were the stunted remains of a grand tower. It had obviously once been a centre of commerce and industry. That much was clear from the golden seams that snaked down its sheer sides. Some immense force had decapitated it. Instead of a proud plume it wore a jagged tip of broken supports and twisted girders. Smoke was still rising from its innards as they burned. Red and blue firefighting ships hovered around it, dousing it with water.

"Three days," Sha'el said, mournfully. "That is how long the fires have blazed."

"How many people . . ." Iudex began, but found herself unable to finish.

Sha'el gave the Tau equivalent of a frown.

"Too many," he said. "But we will make it right."

"We will," Iudex solemnly agreed.

Her eyes lingered over the remains of the tower for a few more seconds until she was able to tear them away. The three of them pressed on towards the embassy. Soon they were stepping into the yawning atrium and the grand hallway beyond. It was not long before Iudex was wishing they had arrived earlier than they did. The sight that awaited them was one she felt she had waited all her thirty-six years to see.

"The legends are true," Caldus muttered, and began taking picts frantically.

A living god was standing before them. Corvus Corax was a giant among Astartes, and among mortals he was nothing short of magnificent to behold. Somehow being surrounded by aides and adjutants made him even more impressive. His advanced hearing picked out their footsteps from the background noise and he turned to them.

"Ah, my two Remembrancers," he said, in a voice as black as night and as entrancing as a sky full of stars. "A pleasure. I am Primarch Corax."

"My lord Nineteen," Iudex said, as she knelt.

Caldus was too stunned to follow suit. He was still capturing the scene.

Sha'el bore a knowing smile. He and his people had been meeting with the Primarch continually since his arrival a few days earlier, and he had come to know him a little more than most. Each act of diplomacy and tact impressed him more than the last.

Corax was beautiful to behold. He was not handsome but intense. His dark hair fell loosely around his thin face and his blazing eyes were hidden by thick, thoughtful brows. At first glance he almost resembled the raven whose name he bore. His cheekbones were certainly sharp as a beak. His features made for a scary sight, but any fear evaporated the moment he spoke. His voice was power distilled into sound.

In that instant, every far-fetched report Iudex had read was validated. She could suddenly understand perfectly why the Imperium's downtrodden revered the Emperor and his Primarchs as gods. But she knew that was a comforting lie. The being that stood before her was a stunning achievement of science and learning. He was perfect not through some quirk of divine fortune. He was designed.

"The name _Primarch_ will suffice," he told her. "I only wish we could be meeting under better circumstances. I trust the journey from Deliverance was an easy one?"

"Yes, Primarch," Iudex said, as Caldus finally knelt along with her. "The ship you sent for us was . . . well, it was more than luxurious."

"Nothing but the best," Corax said. "My father wishes word of our exploits to spread across his glorious Imperium. I could not agree more. What we do here, today, is of immense importance to his plans – and mine. To have it recorded by Deliverance's two finest Remembrancers is only fitting."

Iudex had been in training for her current position for the better part of a decade. In that time, she'd been embedded in missions by the Imperial Army to Deliverance's most hostile areas. She'd seen civil unrest. She'd interviewed dictators and dignitaries. And standing there in front of the Primarch, she did something she hadn't done in a long time. She blushed.

"Thank you," she said, meekly.

As she spoke, a group of officials came up to them. They were led by a man in long, flowing robes and with a golden circlet perched on his head. At its centre was the Imperial Aquila with its jewelled wings spread wide.

"Primarch," he said, sternly.

"Ambassador Colt," Corax nodded. "Is it time?"

"It is," Colt said.

"With me," Corax beckoned to them.

They fell in with his aides as they all followed the Ambassador through a set of tall arched doors and into a vaulted meeting chamber. Plenty of Tau were waiting for them, sitting at seats around the central table and conferring with each other. They had laid out their files and alien cogitators.

A pair of guards swung the doors shut once they were inside.

"My lord," Iudex ventured, "Might we . . ."

"Go to work," Corax whispered to her.

She and Caldus wasted no time. They circled the edges of the room, capturing dozens of picts and recording the audio. Every last detail had to be remembered. That was the very purpose of their being: to preserve, for posterity, the events unfolding before their eyes. It was their destiny.

The Tau at the head of the table rose to his feet. He had a stern face, even for one of their kind.

"That is O'Vei," Sha'el said. "You would call him Governor of Concordance."

"Governor," Corax said, at that very moment. " _Aur'ocy shath'r'i tksan sha Tau'va_."

Iudex turned her attention to the Primarch. She hadn't realised he spoke their language.

"Indeed it does," O'Vei agreed. "And with your efforts, it shall. Your repeated apologies have been most welcome to us, Primarch, but they will not be enough. I have conferred with my people and we are united in our decision. The perpetrators of this attack must be found and brought to justice."

"I understand," Corax promised him. "This speaks to a broader problem than the incident in and of itself. If relations between our two races were to break down, the Sagittarius Arm would be plunged into a war on a scale unseen since the Great Crusade."

At that, O'Vei chuckled.

"Your precious Crusade," he said, a little contemptuously.

Corax bristled visibly at his tone.

"In which my father united the Imperium under the banner of humanity and brought my brothers into the fold," he said, keeping his cool. "I know our views have superseded the simple black-and-white of those times, but it remains a glorious achievement."

"We hear much about those," O'Vei sharply replied. " _Glorious achievements_."

"The vanquishing of the Chaos Gods," Corax recited. "The formation and dedication of the Adeptus Mechanicus to advance mankind's technological boundaries, the elevation of countless billions of citizens from poverty, the . . ."

O'Vei held up a hand for silence.

Corax obeyed.

Iudex watched dumbly as wonder rippled tangibly through the room. Everyone knew Corax had come to apologise and promise restitution, but they hadn't expected him to be so submissive. And yet here he was, censoring himself at an alien's behest.

"Your Imperium excels at self-promotion," O'Vei said. "And it has impressed us before. This embassy, at the heart of a city built using your technology and ours, represents a vital step towards a brighter future for both of us. But now our relationship is tested like it has never been. You must solve this problem. You _must_ bring these criminals to justice."

There was a pause.

Corax bowed to him respectfully.

"And I will," he vowed.


	2. S1 E2: De Villanova

Series I - So It Begins

Episode II - De Villanova

The Primarch had soon been swept away by his aides once the meeting had finished. Iudex didn't doubt he had plenty of important business to attend to offworld. Before leaving, he had referred her and Caldus to the leader of the team they would be shadowing. In their brief time together before his departure he had talked of Lieutenant de Villanova, an up-and-coming leader of an irregular squad with no Chapter assignment within the Legion. On their shuttle ride into orbit, Iudex had tasked Caldus with uncovering as much details about them as he could.

"Well, my lady," Caldus chimed, as the shuttle rattled its way into space. "There is not too much to discover. They are known as Bastion Squad."

"Bastion," Iudex repeated quietly to herself. "A word with interesting implications."

"The first and last line of defence, as they call themselves," Caldus said. "Apparently they're quite the collection of quirky individuals."

"Well put," Iudex said, warmly. "I'll be sure to use that line."

Before long the shuttle was sliding through the field and into the yawning hangar of the strike cruiser. The ship was painted jet black and emblazoned with the heraldry of the Raven Guard. Far below was Venvax, the vast dune seas stretching across its surface glowing a dull orange in the light of its distant sun. Concordance was visible as a stain of grey. It was linked to the other cities by snaking mag-train lines.

"What a view," Iudex gushed, snapping picts as the shuttle pulled into the hangar.

"Do you prefer being out here to Deliverance, my lady?" Caldus asked.

"I do," Iudex said, without hesitation. "We've only been offworld for a week and already we've seen more than I ever imagined we would. We met a Primarch."

Caldus could only chuckle at the sheer lunacy of the statement.

"That we did," he agreed.

Iudex's bionic eye whirred frantically as they descended the ramp. It was ardently capturing the entire scene before them and storing the picts in her memory banks for posterity.

A servitor was waiting for them, its mechanical arms twitching and adjusting constantly.

"My lady," it said, in a synthetic voice. "My lord. Your arrival was expected."

"We are here at the behest of the Primarch," Iudex told it, enjoying the feeling of authority that came with the explanation. "He directed us to Bastion Squad."

The construct nodded obediently.

"Bastion Squad," it repeated. "Of course. Follow on."

It led them across the hangar and into the corridors of the ship.

Both of them were capturing scenes constantly as they went. There was simply so much to see. Even at a time of peace, the hangar was alive with activity. Dockhands used cranes and forklifts to load and unload heavy pallets of supplies. Shuttles swept in and out, engines booming and running-lights blinking. Here and there were groups of Astartes to oversee it all. They stood out against the humans, with their jet-black power armour and glowing green eye-slits.

"Where are you taking us?" Iudex asked, as they delved deeper and deeper into the maze.

"To Bastion Squad," the servitor intoned. "As ordered."

Iudex was beginning to wonder what she had gotten them into. Her concerns were only heightened as they began passing through personal quarters, complete with large bunks and arming chambers. A few of the Astartes were in residence and they watched the intruders closely as they passed.

"Are you sure we're meant to be here?" Iudex hissed.

"Yes, yes," the servitor said. "Your arrival was expected."

She glared at it.

"Stop saying that," she snapped.

Before it could reply, heavy footsteps came from ahead and the harsh glow of the light-strips in the ceiling was blotted out. They found their path blocked by a sheer wall of adamantium. The Astarte standing before them was at least seven and a half feet tall.

"Greetings," Iudex said, nervously. "We are . . ."

"I know who you are," came a gruff voice from inside the helmet. Its tones were slightly artificial, a product of being projected through the suit's inbuilt speakers. The expression of the Marine inside was impossible to read behind the thick face-plate.

"Then you know we are seeking Bastion Squad," Iudex ventured.

A deep laugh rumbled from within the armour.

"Look no further," its wearer said, and reached up to remove his helmet.

The face beneath was noble and kind, with a firm brow and rounded cheeks that appeared given to smiling. Studs gleamed in its forehead and two teeth flashed gold.

"I am Lord Commander Haestus Tallix," he introduced himself. "At your service."

Iudex and Caldus both bowed low.

"Sir," Iudex said. "I'm sorry, this servitor . . ."

"I sent it to meet you," Tallix interrupted her.

She grabbed a few subtle picts of him as she straightened up. The composition would be less than perfect in such low light, she knew, but he deserved remembered. He had the appearance of a warrior but the manner of a statesman – a balance only an Astarte was capable of striking correctly. She knew she was standing in front of one of the most powerful individuals within the Raven Guard, a man who answered only to Primarch Corax himself.

"Well," she said, "It's an honour."

"I am sure it is," he said, with a knowing smile. "Come with me."

Dismissing the humble servitor with a wave of his hand, he led them yet further into the warren of corridors and hallways. With him by their side, they went unchallenged. Aides and Astartes alike stepped out of their path and bowed to them.

"To be honest with you," Tallix said, "It is refreshing to have Remembrances aboard. Not since the glorious days of the Great Crusade has so much attention been paid to our deeds."

"Is that difficult?" Iudex said, curiously. "With the Crusade being over?"

Tallix shook his head as he rounded a corner and set off down the passageway beyond.

"No," he said, flatly. "We always understood it as the beginning of something far more important. It is not enough for us to find our place among the stars. We must secure it, for our children and our children's children. The Adeptus Astartes are a living reminder that we must _earn_ our successes."

"But what is your purpose now?" Caldus said.

Tallix stopped at an imposing set of doors.

Iudex threw Caldus a cold glance.

"Show some respect," she barked.

"Do not worry," Tallix said, reassuringly. "That is a question we now find ourselves facing with alarming regularity. Perhaps the Raven Guard are better situated to answer it than any other Legion. The future of the Astartes will not be on grand battlefields and in open warfare. It will be as peacekeepers, working to identify threats to the Emperor's vast Imperium before they can come to light. Bastion Squad is the embodiment of that future."

He tapped a code into the panel on the wall and the doors swung open, revealing a small chamber with a second pair at the other end.

"An airlock?" Iudex said. "That was unexpected."

Tallix slid his helmet back into place with a mechanical clunk.

"You will need those," he said, gesturing to the oxygen masks on the wall.

They each took one and strapped it on.

Iudex had to rearrange her dreadlocked hair to allow it to fit. Once it was secured in place, she pulled the toggle to start the flow of air.

Tallix's voice filled her ears.

" _You are now connected to the ship-wide comms network,_ " he explained. " _That will allow you to hear me once we are beyond the doors._ "

"Are we going into space?" she asked, concealing her excitement at the prospect.

" _Not quite,_ " he said. " _But it is a place nearly as hostile._ "

Without explaining more, he ordered the airlock open.

The first thing Iudex felt was the heat. It washed over her like a wave, blistering across her dark skin and through her muscles. She felt herself tense immediately. She knew she was about to experience something incredible for the first time and began filming everything she saw.

" _Are you capturing this?_ " Caldus sent her.

"Every second," she sent back.

Sand was billowing into the airlock. They walked out into a field of gentle dunes that seemed to shift and morph with the force of the gale blowing across them. It was a thoroughly inhospitable environment. Every second Iudex felt a dozen little pinpricks of pain across her bare arms as grains of sand buried themselves in her skin.

"I don't know how much of this I can take," she admitted.

" _I just wanted to give you a taste of it_ ," Tallix said, wryly. " _These are the conditions you will be venturing into, after all_."

"What do you mean?" she said, in surprise.

Instead of answering her, he switched onto a wide channel.

" _Shut it off_ ," she heard him say.

And in an instant, the wind was gone. With it went the clouds that had formed in the air, allowing them to see their surroundings properly for the first time. They were standing in a colossal chamber with giant fans built into its ceiling. Sections of the floor had been raised and lowered to create an artificial topography. Set into the walls were long runs of glass windows, and technicians could be seen hurrying back and forth behind them. It was an elaborate simulation arena.

"By Terra herself, this place is incredible," Iudex said.

Tallix pulled off his helmet.

"It is quite something," he agreed. "But after all, luck favours the prepared. We Astartes must be prepared to fight in a variety of environments."

Iudex removed her oxygen masks, seeing Caldus doing the same, and took a few deep breaths.

"Constricting, is it not?" Tallix observed. "You will have to get used to it."

"You said these are the conditions we're venturing into," Iudex recalled.

"On the surface, yes," Tallix said. "Bastion Squad will be going down to the remains of the skyscraper that suffered the attack on Concordance. Our scans show it came to rest in a valley below the city, amidst the dunes of what the residents call the Mirage."

"And what exactly is Bastion Squad?" Iudex said. "The Primarch was whisked away before he could tell us anything."

Tallix chuckled.

"They are our newest experiment," he explained. "The future of the Legion and of the Imperium both, as I said. Most of them are already down on Venvax, setting up a command post among the ruins. Only one remains here in orbit. I ordered Lieutenant de Villanova to escort you to the surface."

"And where is this Lieutenant?" Iudex said.

"Right behind you, as it happens," Tallix said.

Iudex span around to find herself confronted with an adamantium breastplate emblazoned with raven heraldry. Above it was an implacable helmet, complete with blazing green eyes.

"I'm so sorry sir," she blurted out, as she stepped back. "How did you . . ?"

Her eyes widened as the helmet came off.

A woman stood before her. Lieutenant de Villanova was clearly nobility, as if the name hadn't given it away, with a stern face and a smoothly combed bob of strawberry blonde hair. She had keen green eyes and a curious expression.

"You expected someone else?" she asked.

"A man," Caldus said.

Iudex waved a hand at him for silence. He always spoke out of turn.

Both Tallix and de Villanova laughed.

"To the Raven Guard, surprise is everything," de Villanova explained. "I am simply an extension of that logic. For some time the Legion's Apothecaries have been pondering the inclusion of women into our ranks. What better a command for me than Bastion Squad?"

"The Lieutenant has proven herself more than once," Tallix said, helpfully. "And the Primarch chose her personally to lead the mission down to Venvax."

De Villanova turned to him.

"I did not know that," she said.

"It is true," he nodded. "All eyes are on you, Marianna."

She slid her helmet back on and signed the Aquila to him.

"Victorus Aut Mortis," she pledged. "I will do you proud, Lord Commander."

"You will not have long to wait to prove yourself," Tallix said, gesturing to Iudex and Caldus. "I know these two are raring to get down to Venvax and start documenting Bastion Squad in action – and I am sure you are keen to lead them. Arm yourself and prepare to depart."

"Yes sir," she nodded, and looked at the Remembrancers. "I never fancied myself as a babysitter. Perhaps I am in the wrong profession."


	3. S1 E3: The Mirage

Series I - So It Begins

Episode III - The Mirage

The Stormbird gunship roared down through the blisteringly hot skies above Concordance, weaving its way through glittering lines of shuttles and ferries as it descended between the city's spindly skyscrapers. Beneath it, hidden behind sheets of swirling sand, were the remains of the building the bombing had destroyed. Smoke was still rising from the impact site as the fires blazed. For three days they had been fuelled by the heat. Firefighting ships had been unwilling to risk going down to the Mirage and no survivors had been pulled from the wreckage, at least according to the news reports Caldus had compiled for Iudex.

"So," she said, smoothing her dreadlocks to make room for an oxygen mask, "Why send Bastion Squad down? I mean, what is there to find?"

"That is for us to discover," de Villanova said, without looking up from her work.

She had been meticulously cleaning her power sword since the Stormbird had pulled out of the hangar. The blade was so thoroughly polished that they could see their faces in it.

Realising that fact, Iudex snapped a pict of herself reflected in the sword.

De Villanova scowled when she heard the whirring of Iudex's bionic eye.

"Is something wrong, my lady?" Iudex asked.

"You will address me as Lieutenant," de Villanova growled. "Or _ma'am_ , if you must. I have not been a lady in a very long time."

"Yes ma'am," Iudex nodded. "As I said, is something wrong?"

"I resent being documented so thoroughly," de Villanova told her.

"But it's important for the people of the Imperium to see what you do," Iudex said.

"The Primarch said as much," Caldus added.

Iudex sighed. Caldus was useful as an assistant, but he had no capacity for tact.

"Mute yourself," she muttered to him.

His lack of a reply was all she needed to know she had been obeyed.

"Word of our deeds must reach the people," de Villanova agreed, solemnly. "But it is not so simple. I was under the impression it was the job of the Remembrancer to capture and not to intercede."

Iudex sighed. She knew what de Villanova meant. It wasn't the first time she'd heard as much.

"You think we'll get in the way," she said.

De Villanova chuckled.

"I know it," she said.

"Well," Iudex replied, curtly, "You'll no doubt be relieved to know that Caldus and I have worked together in plenty of difficult environments. We've gone into hostile situations alongside the Imperial Army. It's part of the training."

De Villanova offered no answer to that. Instead she calmly stood up and slid her helmet down over her head, then sheathed her power sword at her belt. The shuttle rattled and shook as it swung around on a landing trajectory. She locked her armour instinctively.

"Hostile _situations_ ," she repeated contemptuously, hearing the landing skids drop from their housing beneath their feet. "Anyone can put on a rebreather and step out of an airlock. It is in war that we are truly tested . . . and you know nothing of war."

Iudex looked at her indignantly, trying to summon a response, but the shuttle touched down before she could speak. Without waiting for an order she slipped her mask on and pulled the toggle to start the flow. Once Caldus had done the same, they joined de Villanova at the foot of the ramp.

It swung down on heavy hydraulic pistons. A cloud of sand billowed up as it landed.

They walked out as a group, de Villanova thumping down the ramp with the other two in tow.

Iudex began filming immediately. There was so much to see. The top section of the tower had come down on its side and the sheer force of the impact had compressed it like a concertina. Already it was half-buried in sand dunes that had built up against its sides. All the loose furniture had piled against what had once been the ceiling and was now the wall. The Stormbird had swept into the remains of a giant atrium that had once been filled with balconies looking out through a tall glass window. Now the shattered window was above them and harsh sunlight filtered down through it.

"First impressions," Iudex said to herself, recording her own voice. "Not structurally sound."

De Villanova turned back from ahead.

"Three feet to the left, please," she said, sternly.

Iudex obeyed, then nearly jumped out of her skin as a pane of glass smashed down where she had been standing. It had be pushed clean from its housing by the weight of the sand building up on it.

"I should not have to tell you this," de Villanova said, wearily, "But situational awareness is key. You must be fully aware of your surroundings at all times."

"Okay," Iudex breathed. "Hear that, Caldus?"

He only nodded. She had muted him.

"In other words," de Villanova said, "Stay in the light."

Iudex didn't know what that had to do with anything, but she wasn't about to question it. They set off towards a dimly lit corridor that led away from the atrium. As they went, they followed the twisting trails of sunlight blazing through the window far above.

Another pane slammed down somewhere behind them.

Iudex jumped again.

"Emperor damn it," she muttered.

"Like I said," de Villanova said, without turning around, "In the light."

With a frown, Iudex glanced up. It took her a few moments to realise where de Villanova was coming from. Sand dunes had formed on the glass ceiling. The shadowed areas on the floor were the ones at risk of debris falling from above.

"You don't need to patronise me," she said, as they reached the corridor.

De Villanova turned back. Her expression was unreadable inside her helmet.

"Trust me, I take no enjoyment from it," she said, coldly. "It is my understanding that your presence was requested by Primarch Corax himself. That is the only reason you are here. If it were up to me, civilians like you two would not be allowed anywhere near this death trap."

"Doesn't that tell you something?" Iudex pointed out. "The Primarch wants us here for a reason."

"What is that reason?" de Villanova snapped. "Documentation? This site is unsecured. If he only wanted picts, he would have went you once our mission was concluded. No – you are here for some purpose hidden to all of us. That is why I am terse."

Iudex hesitated. Try as she might, she couldn't find any issue with de Villanova's logic.

"That cannot be right," she said.

"The ways and means of a Primarch are not for us to understand," de Villanova said. "But as we go forward, keep in mind that you are here for a purpose you have yet to understand."

Iudex shivered. It was a discomforting thought.

A light already blazed at the other end of the corridor. It was harsh and artificial, the kind created by a holographic projection. Figures could be seen moving back and forth in front of it.

"There they are," de Villanova said. "Let us go."

Soon the corridor was filled with the echoing boom of engines as the Stormbird rose into the air and set off of on its long climb back to orbit. A wave of sand washed past them.

"What if we need to leave in a hurry?" Iudex wondered aloud.

"Astartes do not _leave in a hurry_ ," de Villanova said. "We lay down suppressing fire and retreat."

Ahead of them was another open chamber, this one gloomier than the last with no windows looking out across the wreckage. Like before, all the furniture had ended up piled against one wall. That had left space for Bastion Squad to set up their command post. It took the form of a holographic display table propped up on telescopic legs, surrounded by piles of supply crates and communications equipment.

Two more Astartes were waiting for them. One of them was clearly a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus, busily working at a cogitator while the other came over to greet them.

"Lieutenant," he said, signing the Aquila to de Villanova.

She signed it back.

Iudex had stopped filming but she quickly captured the moment.

"Brother," de Villanova said. "Allow me to introduce Iudex and Caldus, the Remembrancers here at the request of the Primarch. You two, this is Brother Diconius."

"Vetriano Diconius," he introduced himself. "Victorus Aut Mortis."

De Villanova nodded approvingly at a glance from Iudex.

"Victorus Aut Mortis," Iudex returned, and recorded the words for posterity. It was quite an honour to recite a Legion motto to one of its members.

"Brother Diconius here is a Devastator Marine," de Villanova explained. "One of the finest heavy gunners the Legion has to offer. Over there you will find our resident Techmarine, Matthias Conant."

Conant didn't look up from his work, not even at the mention of his name.

Iudex quickly captured him bent over the cogitator.

"And the others?" she said, inquisitively. "Where's the rest of the squad?"

"They have already been deployed," Diconius told her, as de Villanova took up a data-slate to read the mission reports that had been filed. "As far as we know, they have taken up positions at various sites throughout the ruins. Some contact has been made."

De Villanova looked up at that.

"Contact?" she asked. "Separatists?"

"I'm sorry," Iudex apologised, butting in, "Could you explain what you're talking about?"

An audible sigh came from within de Villanova's helmet.

"We are not alone down here," she explained. "The bombing of this building was carried out by separatists who oppose peace between the Imperium and the alien races of our galaxy. They believe Venvax to be the property of mankind and no-one else. It is of great importance that they are defeated."

"And that Bastion Squad are the ones to defeat them," Diconius added.

"Why?" Iudex pressed him. "What's so special about Bastion Squad? Lord Commander Tallix called you _the future of the Legion and of the Imperium both_."

"He aims to flatter," Diconius joked.

"You're not answering my question," Iudex insisted.

De Villanova put the data-slate down and stepped towards her with a thump.

"Watch your tongue," she warned. "You are addressing an Astarte."

"It is fine, ma'am," Diconius assured her. "I understand that you do not trust these two, but they are correct in saying that the Primarch ordered their presence. He clearly wishes for them to have the whole truth. Perhaps it is time to reveal it to them."

"Do as you must," de Villanova said, and waved him away.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," he nodded. "Aemerith?"

The very fabric of reality itself seemed to shiver as a shimmering psychic glow appeared next to the table in the centre of the room. From it dropped a thin, lithe Eldar Warlock, clad in long black robes with alien runes emblazoned on her chest and her loose sleeves. Secured at her belt was a wickedly sharp, bulbous blade that crackled with ethereal energy.

"Greetings," she said in Gothic, her voice sing-song and gentle. "I am Aemerith."

"An . . . an Eldar," Iudex stammered. She had only ever met Tau before.

"Unusual to see them so far from a Craftworld, I know," Diconius said.

"The blessings of Isha be upon you," Aemerith said to Iudex. "I am led to understand you intend to document our mission here."

"Yes," Iudex said. "Primarch Corax thought it wise."

"And he is wise beyond imagining," Aemerith replied. "As are his brothers and his father. We have nothing but admiration for them."

"Thank you," Iudex said, uncertainly, and looked at Diconius. "So this is Bastion Squad."

He shook his head.

"Not all of it," he said. "You have yet to meet some of our more exotic members."

"More exotic?" Iudex repeated. "Surely you . . ."

"Enough of this," de Villanova interrupted her. "Aemerith, you may return to your meditation. We have more important tasks ahead of us. For one, we must uncover why exactly the Primarch chose to send us two Remembrancers."

"You think he has an ulterior motive?" Diconius said.

"I do," de Villanova said.

" _Da gceilfi an fhirinne_ ," Aemerith recited, " _B'flieidir go neosfai breag_."

She shimmered and disappeared, lost in an aura of pure psychic power.

"Exactly," de Villanova said, approvingly. "Whatever that means."


	4. S1 E4: Sabotage

Series I - So It Begins

Episode IV - Sabotage

Iudex was bored. She and Caldus were not strangers to menial work, spending most of their free time shuffling around files and piecing narratives together, but even that involved plenty of mental activity. Now they found themselves sitting on a pair of supply crates in Bastion Squad's command post while de Villanova, Diconius and Matthias Conant worked at their cogitators.

"Unmute yourself," Iudex said, with a heavy sigh.

Caldus turned to her with a whir of his mechanised exoskeleton.

"Yes ma'am," he nodded. "So Bastion Squad contains aliens as well as humans."

"You noticed, did you?" she said.

De Villanova spared them a glance when she heard them talking, then went back to what she had been doing without offering a response.

Iudex stared at her coldly.

"Their suspicion is understandable," Caldus gently chided her. "They're not used to completing missions with journalists along for the ride – not since the days of the Crusade, anyway."

"Your presence is not the problem," Diconius said, lenses of his helmet still trained on the screen before him. "The problem is the lack of a reason for it."

"Is that what you're doing, then?" Iudex asked, rising to her feet. "Trying to figure it out?"

"We are gathering intelligence reports from the other elements of the squad," Diconius said. "The Primarch's intentions will become apparent with time. I have served under Corvus Corax since the Crusade, and let me tell you, he is the most inscrutable being I have ever met."

"And he serves with _me_ ," Aemerith joked, materialising beside him.

Iudex laughed and took the opportunity to snap a pict of her.

"You are capturing my likeness?" Aemerith asked, hearing Iudex's artificial retina clicking.

Iudex had long since adjusted to the awkward reality of documenting her surroundings. Many of her subjects were reluctant to be subjected to it. Confidence was key.

"Even today, there are many of my people who've never met any of yours," Iudex explained. "Newsreels will carry this information to millions across the galaxy. Until we finally achieve Integration, that's the best we can offer them."

"Ah yes," Aemerith recalled, tilting her peaked helmet upwards slightly. "This doctrine of yours."

Integration was the stated mission of the Imperium. Laid out by the Emperor himself in a speech celebrating the end of the Crusade and the beginning of what had become known as the Great Peace, it sought to unite every living being in the galaxy under a single banner. From that point, he had decreed, the Imperium of Man would be known solely as the Imperium, a race-neutral label that allowed all comers to identify as one of its citizens. As the process unfolded, aliens had increasingly been granted positions in government, with the eventual goal of their inclusion at the highest levels of power.

"You have issues with Integration?" Iudex said, walking over to her.

Aemerith nodded.

"Many of our kind harbour reservations," she admitted. "But there is no doubting that it is a noble cause. Whether or not it will be carried out effectively remains to be seen. It is an exercise built on trust, after all, and trust is malleable."

"Believe me," Iudex said, "The people will be far more accepting of alien races when they see the footage we're capturing. Bastion Squad is a magnificent achievement."

Laughter came from across the room.

It was Matthias Conant, the Techmarine. He hadn't said a word since their arrival and now he looked up from his cogitator to examine them. As he did so, a mental command relayed through his implanted communications chip activated the servo-harness that hung on the wall. It skittered over to him, using its six attachments like the limbs of a giant insect, and climbed up the back of his power armour.

"Some achievement," he said, as he clipped the harness into place. "It is under threat."

Iudex captured the moment but she was growing increasingly frustrated by their use of helmets. She had yet to see Diconius, Conant or Aemerith bare-faced. All she had were glowing lenses to talk to.

"Bastion Squad isn't as whole as it seems, huh?" she said, insightfully.

Conant ignored her.

"Lieutenant," he said. "We have a problem."

De Villanova turned to him, along with Diconius.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You may recall I dispatched Fi'as to establish the comms relay at the top of the ruins," Conant said. "He reported movement in his sector and now we have lost contact with all other parties."

"All of them?" de Villanova asked. "Including Legion command?"

Conant solemnly nodded.

"I should have known," de Villanova muttered. "The separatists have been harassing us ever since we arrived. We will have to deal with this incursion."

"Let me go," Diconius requested.

"Of course, brother," de Villanova said. "And you can take these Remembrancers with you, give them a chance to see us at work."

"Gladly," Diconius said, and gestured for Iudex and Caldus to follow him.

The three of them left the command post and turned left, diving into the corridors that snaked their way through the destroyed skyscraper. It was a difficult journey; more than once they found themselves climbing over piles of rubble and slithering down sand dunes that had built up against the walls.

"So," Iudex said, making conversation, "How did you get chosen for Bastion Squad?"

"We are composed of the Legion's finest warriors," Diconius said, proudly. "I am one of them."

Iudex looked over his weaponry.

"A Devastator Marine using a power sword and a pistol?" she remarked. "That's a first."

"My customary weapons are too cumbersome for these surroundings," Diconius said. "And much as I might prefer them, I am more than sufficiently skilled with the tools of war. My demolitions expertise has already proven a valuable skill in blasting through the wreckage."

As he spoke, he gestured along the sloping hallway ahead. There was a jagged hole in the wall at its end, surrounded by scorch marks.

Iudex recorded their passage through it.

"It seems like you've established yourselves well in here," she observed.

"We are only scraping the surface," Diconius said, flatly. "But we have been able to identify routes through the building and locations of strategic importance."

They stepped into a larger chamber that had once been some kind of meeting place. For the first time Iudex saw bodies in the corner.

Diconius saw her looking at them.

"We cleared most of the corpses," he said. "Astartes understand the human toll of war better than most, but even we find it difficult to tolerate fighting amongst dead civilians."

Caldus wasn't listening to them. He was looking up at the giant hole above them, cut through what had once been a wall but was now the ceiling. Above it was another, and another, all the way up to the top of the ruined building.

"How are we meant to climb that?" he said, bluntly.

Diconius linked his neural implants with the machinery bolted to the skyscraper's flank, now its topside, and a sturdy ladder telescoped all the way down to them.

"That's very clever," Iudex said, approvingly.

"It is also ominous," he told her. "This was supposed to be in position. Fi'as must have retracted it to stop the contacts he registered from climbing up."

Iudex's heartrate quickened.

"Alright," she said, uncertainly. "What do we do now?"

"Climb up," Diconius said, as if it was obvious. "After you."

Not wanting to let her nerves show, she found her footing on the ladder and made her way up towards the top of the shaft. Caldus came behind her. His hard-wired exoskeleton made it easy work for him. Last was Diconius. The ladder groaned under his immense weight but stayed in place.

Iudex reached the end and pulled herself out.

The heat and the wind hit her immediately. It hadn't occurred to her that Diconius hadn't given her an oxygen mask, but now she understood why. Protruding from the smooth side of the skyscraper were limbs and outcroppings that had once enhanced the beauty of the building. Now they were effective shields against the sand. The constant wind was blowing towards her, but she was protected from it by a bulky generator unit ahead. Leading up to it was a clear swath of polished metal, flanked by stretches of sand.

"Look up," Caldus said, as he joined her.

She did, and her mouth fell open at the beauty of the sight. Clouds of sand swirled above them, carried in the gale, dancing back and forth in imperceptible patterns. The red skies of Venvax could be seen through the occasional breaks. Reaching up towards them were the towers of Concordance. Iudex knew they were anchored in the shifting desert all around them, but she couldn't see their bases through the storm.

"There is no time to admire the view," Diconius snapped from behind her. "Come."

He led them along the hull of the skyscraper, taking a winding path that ensued there was always one outcrop or another in front of them. The sloping of the floor increased as they advanced towards what had once been the spire. The building had not come down flat on its side but protruding from the ground at an angle, and now it was the highest point in the wreckage, hundreds of feet above the billowing dunes below. Near its peak, communication antennas jutted from around the base of the spire. Their supports had once extended outwards, but with the wreckage at such an angle they rose above the three of them. Between two of the girders had been strung a giant sail to catch the sand and protect the machinery that had been set up in its shadow. It was bulging in the middle with the weight of the sand that had built up against it.

"There is no sign of Fi'as anywhere," Diconius said, looking around.

"What is all this stuff?" Caldus asked, flatly.

"Our comms array," Diconius said. "He was supposed to be keeping an eye on it. His last report mentioned contacts in the area, so . . ."

He was cut off as a withering bolt of blue plasma flickered out of the storms further down the skyscraper and slammed into his breastplate. It had been aimed perfectly but the adamantium of his power armour was more than capable of taking the force and it dissipated without doing any real damage.

"To cover," he ordered.

Iudex looked around as he drew his own gun. She couldn't see anywhere to go except behind the machinery itself. She beckoned for Caldus to follow her and slid into position behind it.

The barking of Diconius' bolt pistol was carried by the wind. He was advancing towards the source of the shooting, firing as he went, even as more bolts whipped past him.

Iudex couldn't help but capture the scene, even amidst the chaos enveloping them.

Diconius' autosenses were having some difficulty picking out targets but they managed to get a few locks. The servos of his suit whirred as they nudged his aim, guiding his shots and ensuring maximum accuracy. One by one the strobes of red turned to grey as he cut them down.

"What are they?" Iudex called over to him.

"Separatists," he growled. "Xenophobes. This is the price they pay for opposing Integration."

A blast of plasma smacked into the padding beneath his shoulderpad, tearing a hole through it and lighting his display up with warning glyphs. He felt pain sear through his side and snarled angrily.

"Are you alright?" Iudex said, ducking out and making for him.

"I am fine," he assured her. "Do not . . ."

Before he could finish his sentence a series of bolts hit him in the shoulderpad. They dissipated across the adamantium but the force of the impact was enough to knock him off-balance. He dropped to one knee, his suit clicking and whining in frustration as it tried to keep him upright.

"Diconius!" she gasped. She had never seen an Astarte wounded. In her worry, she didn't realise that it was only minor to him. All she knew was that he seemed hurt.

" _I am fine_ ," he insisted. "Return to safety."

Iudex yelped as a bolt flashed past so close she could feel the heat from it. It burned through the fabric of the sail behind her, leaving a small circular hole. With an awful ripping and tearing sound, the hole began to widen until a gash opened up for the sand on the other side to flow through. It was a dam waiting to burst.

"Look out!" she shouted to Caldus, caught in the open.

"My lady!" he shouted back.

He was pointing at something further along the skyscraper's side.

She turned and her jaw fell.

Advancing from the fog was the most hideous creature she had ever seen. It was alien in every respect, from its clawed hooves to its long, muscular arms, scything talons rising from its shoulders and wickedly curved tail flicking back and forth above its head. Everything about it was feral and animalistic. It had no mouth to speak of, just a mass of writhing and snaking tentacles that hung down its front from below a pair of blazing green eyes.

"What in the Emperor's name . . ?" she muttered.

Diconius was on his feet again and emptying his bolt pistol in its direction.

It lowered its shoulder as it lumbered forward, shrugging off the explosive rounds, and broke into a run towards them. Each step shook the floor beneath their feet.

"Retreat!" Diconius bellowed.

Iudex didn't need telling twice. She turned and sprinted away, towards the damaged sail.

As they reached the comms array it straightened up and its thin midriff pulsed with a muscle spasm that launched a volley of flesh hooks in their direction. Most of them went wide, carried on the wind, but one of them buried itself deep into the padding at the back of Diconius' knee.

He cried out in pain and fell, badly wounded this time.

It towered over him.

For Iudex, time seemed to slow down. She was more afraid than ever before in her life. This was her fight or flight movement, and she fought. There was only one thing she could do. She scooped up a screwdriver from the open case by the machinery, ran for the sail and jumped. The screwdriver punched through the canvas and ripped a giant hole in it as she dropped to the ground.

A torrent of built-up sand poured from it, swallowing everything in its path. Iudex and Caldus were swept aside and Diconius was buried, as was the creature.

Silence fell. The freshly created dune had come to rest. There was no movement, no telling who was alive and who was dead.


	5. S1 E5: Aftermath

Series I - So It Begins

Episode V - Aftermath

Iudex gasped for air and got a mouthful of sand. She retched and threw it up, only for more to take its place. A few more gulps and she would be dead, her lungs filled with the stuff. There was no time to think of Caldus or Diconius. There wasn't even time to realise the depth of the fear filling her bones. No: the only thing to do was dig. She began frantically scrabbling to find purchase, pulling her arms through the sand and loosening its grip. With a grunt of effort she pushed upwards and broke through the top of the dune into the clear air.

The wind hit her immediately. With no sail in the way, she was exposed to its full force. Tiny particles lashed against her dark skin, marking her head with a hundred tiny cuts.

"Caldus!" she cried, in the open at last. "Diconius?"

No reply came, though the gale was so loud that she probably wouldn't have heard it anyway.

She felt adrenaline course through her veins as she remembered the hideous creature she had seen before cutting the sail open. The mere thought of it disgusted her. It had been so implacably animalistic and brutal in its nature, as if there could never be any hope of reasoning with it.

A fountain of sand erupted from the dune further down the skyscraper from her. It was quickly dispersed by the storm and its origin became clear.

Diconius angrily hauled himself up, hefting his bolt pistol.

Hearing it fire, Iudex looked ahead of him. She couldn't see anything for him to be aiming at. To her horror, the very air itself became thick with explosions and showers of purple blood. An ear-splitting howl broke over the thundering wind. The creature was there, but it had cloaked itself.

Diconius slotted a fresh magazine into place and drew his power sword.

"Come at me, you abomination!" he roared.

And there it was, every inch as foul as it had ever been, rearing up before him with the scything talons above its shoulders ready to strike him down.

Iudex had a sinking feeling she was about to watch a Space Marine die.

A tiny blue dot appeared on the creature's temple – at least, she assumed it was a temple – and a deafening bang rang out across the wreckage. It recoiled with a yarl of pain as a bolt of the purest blue seared straight through its head.

"Damn right," Diconius said, emptying his pistol into it as it staggered away. "One for all!"

"One for all!" came a reply from behind Iudex.

She whirled around and immediately recoiled.

A shimmering blue field sprang up where the sail had been, blocking the force of the wind and the sand carried with it.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the brightness, she lowered her hand and saw the figure standing at its base. She had never been so relieved to see an alien in her life.

Fi'as was a Tau Pathfinder, an elite scout who made an art out of moving unseen and laying down sniper fire. He wore plates of orange armour over dusty, sand-coloured robes that allowed him to blend in perfectly with his surroundings.

"Quick," he said, in Gothic. "We must leave before it returns."

Iudex looked back towards Diconius. His leg had been badly injured by the flesh hooks the creature had fired. Now he was on his feet, but it was the armour that was keeping him up, not his strength alone.

"I will follow," he promised, sensing her concern.

"Make for the ladder," Fi'as ordered. "Ta'la will protect you."

A Tau recon drone hummed past them and moved into position at the head of the ladder. Its burst cannon was already spinning up to speed, ready to be put to use if the creature came back.

"It has a name?" Iudex couldn't resist asking.

"There can be no time for questions," Diconius snapped, as he mounted the ladder. "Follow me."

His armour was whirring audibly as it bore his immense weight and allowed him to move properly.

Iudex beckoned to Caldus to follow her and began the descent towards the room far below.

Fi'as took the opportunity to examine the comms array one last time. A series of flesh hooks, carried off-course by the wind, had torn through its machinery. Additional supplies would be needed to repair it and the area was not safe. There would be no chance of re-establishing communications with the city, or any of the ships in orbit. Hearing a vicious roar on the wind, he hurried to the ladder and slid all the way down to the others.

A mental command from Diconius' implants retracted it back into its housing.

Fi'as unslung his rail rifle and used it to shoot the mechanism out so they couldn't be followed.

None of them spoke as they slowly made their way back to the command post Bastion Squad had set up. It was a long and mournful journey. They were well aware of the cost the mission had inflicted upon them, and of the changing parameters of the fight. It appeared they were fighting far more than just separatists, as they had initially thought. Their trip was made all the more difficult by Diconius' relatively slow pace. His armour was capable of making up for his injuries, but its movements were a little clunky and mechanical, unsuited to shuffling over sand and debris.

The command post was empty except for Matthias Conant, who was dutifully working away at a cogitator when they arrived. The six arms of his servo-harness were each interacting with a different screen. He did not look up as he heard them approach.

"Ah, so you have returned," he said. "I have been attempting to find a way of contacting Legion command but it appears fruitless."

"Perhaps there are more urgent matters to attend to," Diconius suggested, his voice a little unsteady.

Conant turned and saw them.

" _Ex machina_ ," he breathed, reaching up to remove his helmet. "What happened?"

Iudex took the time to record his face as he spoke. It was the first she had seen of it. He was something of a halfway house between man and machine. What little skin was left had been stretched thin over circuitry and wiring. Both his eyes were bionic, as was his lower jaw. When he spoke she could see a set of artificial vocal cords at the back of his mouth.

Diconius slumped against the wall and lowered himself to the floor.

"You would not believe me if I told you," he said. "Where are the others?"

"Aemerith and the Lieutenant set out for the reactor level to meet with Apothecary Herron," Conant explained, as he put his helmet down and crouched next to him. "Your injuries?"

"To the shoulder and the leg," Diconius explained. "Only the latter is serious."

He raised his knee then slid a gauntlet under it. When he withdrew it, the grey paint was clearly stained with drops of blood.

"I saw what happened," Iudex ventured. "You should be bleeding far more than that."

Fi'as unclipped a medical kit from his belt.

"His Larraman cells will already have sealed the wound," he said. "I can handle the rest."

Iudex was impressed with his knowledge of the Astartes' physiology.

The recon drone hummed into the command post, hovering on a cushion of blistering air, and faced along the corridor they had come from.

"Thank you, Ta'la," Fi'as said, sparing it a glance.

It bleeped in response.

"Someone needs to tell me what happened," Conant observed.

Diconius did not wince as Fi'as reached into the tear in his suit's padding and sewed the wound up.

"The situation has changed," he said. "And in more ways than one."

"Is there any good news?" Conant said.

Diconius chuckled weakly.

"The separatists have clearly reached the building's armoury," he said.

"That is the _good news?_ " Conant asked.

"Everything is relative, brother," Diconius joked. "And perhaps I spoke out of turn. We should stop calling them separatists. It would be more accurate to use the term cultist."

"Cultist?" Iudex repeated. "Belonging to the cult of what?"

"It is not as simple as that," Diconius told her.

Conant was shaking his head. His disbelief was clear.

"Brother," he said, "Surely you cannot be correct. We thought they were confined to . . ."

"We were wrong," Diconius interrupted. "At least now we know why the Remembrancers are here. The Primarch must have suspected this would happen in advance."

"Of course," Conant said.

Iudex was thoroughly sick of their ignoring her.

"So we know why we're here," she said, gesturing to Caldus. "Perfect. Since he and I are apparently so involved in whatever this is, can one of you give us the truth?"

There was a pause.

"You know there is no point in concealing it any longer," Fi'as said.

"Tell them, then," Conant said.

Fi'as snapped his medical kit shut and clipped it back into place. Satisfied with his work, he crossed to the holographic display table in the centre of the room. A code allowed him access to the files and he brought up a series of screens. Each one was filled with data. Among them was a map of the Imperium with several locations highlighted upon it.

"They are known as the Tyranids," he said. "Up until this point, all information concerning their biology and prevalence has been considered highly sensitive. But if Primarch Corax knew of their presence on Venvax in advance and sent journalists to record our mission, he must be ready to put it in the public domain. They have been responsible for a growing number of incidents over the past decade."

"What do you mean by incident?" Caldus asked.

"Does the name Lacrimosa mean anything to you?" Fi'as said.

"The lost planet," Iudex said. "Everyone knows of it. It was devoured by a black hole."

"A fabrication," Fi'as told her. "In reality it was lost to the Tyranids. They strip entire worlds bare before moving on in search of new prey. Everything about them is engineered for consumption."

"And now they're here on Venvax," Iudex said, "Which the Primarch already knows?"

Diconius pulled himself up. He was no longer unsteady on his feet.

"He cannot have known for sure," he said. "But he must have thought it a likely explanation for the bombing. Concordance is not a place known for its civil unrest. Often Tyranids will infiltrate local populations in advance of an invasion. If their brainwashing has been successful enough to cause a terrorist attack, it is only a matter of time until they arrive in force."

"We must warn Legion command," Conant said.

"Indeed we must," Fi'as agreed. "But that is not possible. The comms array was destroyed."

"So we find another way," Conant concluded.

Diconius gave a heavy sigh.

"There is no _other way_ ," he said. "All we can do is wait until the next supply shipment arrives. That will be tomorrow morning, the same time as today's was."

"One thing is clear, at the very least," Conant said. "The stakes have been raised significantly. We can no longer treat this mission as one of exploration. It is a defence."

Diconius walked over to one of the crates and pulled its lid up. It was filled with weaponry.

"Here," he said, handing Iudex and Caldus a las-pistol each. "You know how to use these?"

They both nodded.

"Good," he said. "Because indoctrinated humans and Tau are far from the worst threats in these ruins. That creature is still out there somewhere, and I would wager it is not alone."

Fi'as brought up a new screen.

"It is known as a Lictor," he said, gesturing to the readouts. "But that is about as much information as I can offer. We simply do not have enough measurements to work out how to fight them."

Iudex's eyes brightened as an idea came to her.

"Maybe we do," she said, enthusiastically. "Synch the table to my neural implants."

Fi'as entered the command.

Using her mind, Iudex brought up the footage she had captured during their encounter on the building's topside. It was shaky but coherent enough. More than once it provided a clear shot of the Lictor.

"Perhaps you are of some use after all," Diconius admitted.

"More than some," Fi'as said, watching it. "This is incredible. It's the clearest film anyone's ever captured of one of these things. We can learn a lot from it."

"Then you had better start analysing it," Conant said. "There is no time to waste. Without comms, we cannot spread ourselves thin. I will go down to the reactor level and summon the others here."

"I will put up defences," Diconius offered.

Iudex looked around at them.

"What about me and Caldus?" she said.

Fi'as reached up and removed his helmet. He was far younger than she had expected, with a thin face, keen eyes and a longer nasal slit than most.

"I'll need your help with this footage," he said. "If you're willing."

Iudex nodded firmly.

"Let's get to work," she said.


End file.
